Education Secretary John Swinney has described the offer as generous and fair, but the union has dismissed it as “divisive”.

Teachers assembled in Kelvingrove Park on Saturday morning, before heading off in a huge procession towards George Square.

The union said that up 30,000 people took part- a far higher number than expected.

It took two hours for all the demonstrators to clear the park and join the march.

Image copyrightPA

Addressing the Rally in George Square, EIS president Alison Thornton said, “Nine years of pay settlements under the public sector pay cap have resulted in the value of our take home pay being down by nearly 25%.

“The salaries of teachers in schools in Scotland are below the European average and those of other countries in the wider world. Our pupil contact hours are high, and we still work an average of 11 hours of unpaid overtime each week to deal with the demands of the job.

“No wonder teacher recruitment and retention is in a crisis situation. Austerity doesn’t work, quality public services need proper funding and by investing in teachers then there is investment in education and our young people and their futures.”

EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Look at the magnificent array of EIS and school banners from across the country, and the banners, also, of other public sector trade unions whose members, like teachers, have been under the cosh of austerity for the past decade.

“Those who want to split the unions – think again, public sector trade union solidarity is a given. Our pay claim is for 10% – given that the value of take-home pay has dropped by 24% in the last decade, that claim is already a compromise on what we deserve.”

Pay grades

The education secretary insisted he valued teachers, and that the Scottish government was contributing an extra £35m for teachers’ pay.

In a statement, Mr Swinney said: “Through a combination of a 3% increase for all staff earning up to £80,000, restructuring the main grade scale and annual progression, the majority of teachers receive a rise between 5% and 11%.

“There would be a flat rate increase of £1,600 for those earning more than £80,000 from 1 April 2018.”

But the union has recommended its members reject it in a ballot which opens next week.

Recommended For You

Profit Builder is the Ultimate LIVE Builder and Profit Generator for Wordpress, giving users an Amazing "All in One" toolbox and empowering websites with awe inspiring enhancements that can transform any website into a power hub...

Mobiflux is the first ever Wordpress plugin that lets you capture and multiply your mobile traffic. It’s twin action system gives you the ultimate in traffic and lead generation no matter what you are marketing online.With Mobiflux PRO you can implement

Image copyrightEISImage caption Marchers were still leaving Kelvingrove Park while others were arriving in George Square Image copyrightEISImage caption The union is calling for a 10% increase to restore the value of teachers’ pay

The EIS general secretary said “smoke and mirrors” were being used to pit unpromoted teachers against their promoted colleagues.

Mr Flanagan added: “The conflation of incremental progression, which teachers would always have received anyway, with this pay offer to make it appear more attractive is a shameful tactic drawn straight from the book of bad management.”

Teachers’ pay is negotiated by a committee which includes the unions, councils and the Scottish government.

Councils employ teachers but pay and conditions are set nationally and councils receive much of their funding from the government.

Employers’ letter

A spokesman for local government body Cosla said: “Following a vote, council leaders took the decision to jointly, with the Scottish government, write to teachers spelling out the value and merits of the pay offer currently on the table.

“This joint letter will be written with input and advice from the appropriate professional associations within councils.”

Recommended

Memester can create both videos and GIF memes with eye-catching titles including clickbait styles on video. Integrate custom graphics and overlays over live videos for call to actions.Search YouTube videos by keywords and Memester will convert them directl

HQWebinar Premium with Unlimited Option (Personal)Pro Version: First Ever Stimulated Automated Webinar System built with
Same Technology Used in Blockchain, Slack and FB Messenger
Run Ultra High Quality Smooth Webinars
Without Any Glitch, Delay or Lag Using
World’s Strongest Peer to Peer Technology

Doodly Pro Template Pack (Characters and Prop Package)Pro upgrades your account to include 750 character poses and an astonishing 1,100 unique prop images. These can be used with unlimited restrictions to your personal videos made with Doodly! *NOTE: REQUIRES DOODLY BASIC EDITION*

IMSC Rapid MailerRapid Mailer is the perfect alternative to high priced, unreliable autoresponder services and finally puts you in control of your email marketing...

Long Tail Pro Annual Starter PlanLong Tail Pro is the fastest, most effective way to find keywords that will help your website rank in search engines.The Long Tail Pro Starter plan includes access to Long Tail Pro's entire suite of keyword research tools, including keyword lookups, re

Penny Clicks MastermindPenny clicks academy shows you how to get clicks from facebook for LESS than a penny. Dozens of newbie testimonials, even more success stories, and honest to goodness product that you can count on.

Creative Post 2.0 UpgradeCreative Post Upgrade 2.0 comes with a very powerful built in proxy that enables you to post with out being spotted! on top of that we are proving you with all the materials you need 10 professional craigslist graphic designs including PSD for you to targ

Playtraffic ResellerYou can resell Playtraffic as a Promoter or as an Owner yourself. We have two powerful options for you. Choose between Whitelabel or Reseller.When you sign up as a reseller for Playtraffic we give you everything you need to sell it. Use our sales page a

==========

Recommended

Copy Paste Commissions DFY LITELearn the $4,770,167.62 Commission-Creating Strategy of Two Affiliate Millionaires. This multi media product will set you up for affiliate marketing success faster than anything you've ever tried.

XFUNNELS Reseller BasicI Will Tell You How You Can?MAKE $5000- $10,000 Using XFunnels?In The Next 7 Days Even Without Using It..Re-Sell XFunnels Accounts As Our Official RESELLER/DEVELOPER License Holder

DealCountEasily Increase Sales and Conversions With DealCount, The Brand New REAL-TIME Scarcity App With Live Audio Updates, Countdowns, Notifications And More!

CB Widget Clickbank Software with Developer LicenseCB Widget is a Clickbank Software that enable you to create Highly Converting, Professional looking Slider Ad Widgets with Clickbank Affiliate products. This tool will Skyrocket Your Clickbank Affiliate Marketing Business to a New Level.

Cryptomatic360 [Front End]CharterFinally, You Too Can Get Your Hands On The Secret Weapon For Turning $300 into $78,000 in less than 60 days In The Bitcoin And Other Cryptocurrencies Market.... Even If you Have Never Bought Or Traded In Any Cryptocurrency Before

Leadzbuilder Agency UnlimitedDo You Want To Dominate The Local Search Engine Results For Your Local Business, Product or Service? Now You Can With LeadzBuilder The High Performance Marketing and Landing Page Solution With A Difference!

RT Viking PLR MembershipViking PLR is an awesome collection of internet marketing related PLR packages each including a free report, an ebook, and a video course. These packages come with full private label rights and can be rebranded if you so choose. :)

AdSmartly EliteAdSmartly Is a NEW 1-CLICK SOFTWARE THAT CAPTURES Email Leads Of Clickers, Likers and Commenters Of Your FB Ads Instantly on Complete Autopilot Without a Landing Page or Optin Form.